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1900 - 1909
Remember: items marked with an * occurred as they did in our time line (OTL). Note that while many of the events without an * did occur in OTL, they didn't happen in quite the way described here, or at quite the same time. If you really just have to know how things played out in OTL, feel free to do the research. 1903 The Trans-Siberian Railway is completed ahead of schedule, linking Moscow in the west to the Pacific port of Vladivostok. It is a single-track affair, which allows only for one train at a time (either eastbound or westbound). Russian authorities quickly realize the deficiency of this system, and begin construction on a parallel system. As the path for the Trans-Siberian Railway takes it across the Heilongjian Province of (OTL) Manchuria, tensions rise between the Russians, the Japanese (whose influence in this area is growing), and the Chinese (who claim the area). 1904 The Russians build a railway from Vladivostok, across Manchuria, to their new outlet on the China Sea which they call Port Artur. As this causes them to pass through territories claimed and/or controlled by both the Chinese and Japanese, tensions ratchet up another notch. 8 Feb 1904 The Japanese, determined not to allow the Russians to have a warm-water port i what they see as their territory, declare war. Japanese troops move across Korea (which is Japanese controlled) to Port Artur, backed up by a segment of the Japenese fleet (The rest being sent to blockade the port at Vladivostok) Thanks to the now two-way Trans-SIberian Railway, the Russians are able to rush troops from the western part of the empire to the far east, and then down across Manchuria. Although the Japanese influct severe damage on the fleet stationed at Port Artur, they are unable to completely expel the Russian forces. The Chinese government, while not declaring war on either side, protests the ongoing presence of both the Japanese and Russian forces in what it considers its territory. The Chinese military secretly supplies the Manchurian people with weapons in hopes that they will rise up and expel the foreigners. Aug 1904 The Mancurian locals do, in fact, rise up. But they are fragmented and have no unified plan of action. About a third of the locals, those who aren't directly impacted by the railway in any way, fight any non-Chinese they come across. The rest fight either for the Russians or the Japanese, in support of their projects which have brought a great deal of money into an area that wouldn't otherwise have come. They see the foreigners as bringers of prosperity, and therefore have little or no attachment to the Chinese government or the Chinese Empire. Nov 1904 Aided by their Manchurian allies, the Japanese are able, finally, to expel the Russian forces from the area around Port Artur. The Russians retreat slowly back across Manchuria. However they find a great amount of support in the northeastern part of the territory, and eventually the Russian and Japanese forces come to an entrenched standstill, with neither side able to make any progress. 22 Jan 1905 * The "Bloody Sunday" massacre of Russian demonstrators in St. Petersburg helps trigger the abortive Russian Revolution of 1905. Feb 1905 In an attempt to reclaim Manchuria, The Chinese government secrety begins supplying arms and other commodities to both the Japanese and Russian forces. While this causes the war to stretch on, it doesn't change anything. 3 Mar 1905 * Russian Tsar Nicholas II agrees to the creation of an elected assembly (the Duma) Apr 1905 Attempting to gain the upper hand, Russia publicly thanks the Chinese government for supplying their forces, and asks them to join them in an alliance to push the Japanese out of the area once and for all. The Japanese quickly protest, saying that they were the ones being supplied by the Chinese. The Chinese government retreats in confusion, as the Japanese and Russians call a halt to the conflict while they discuss the matter. 7 Jun 1905 * The Norwegian parliament declares the union with Sweden dissolved, and Norway achieves full independence. 25 Jun 1905 The British Empire steps in to help mediate the conflict and bring about a resolution. Four sided talks commence in Vanouver, Canada, between the British, the Chinese, the Russians, and the Japanese. The resulting "Vancouver Accords" has the following points *Port Artur and the surrounding territory (roughly the southern half of OTL Liaoning Province) are ceded to Japan and become merged with Korea *The southern half of OTL Jilin Province (roughly everything south of Changchun) is also ceded to Japan *All of OTL Heilongjian Province is ceded to Russia *The remainder of Manchuria remains part of the Chinese Empire *The branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway that reaches from Vladivostok to Port Artur comes under joint Russian-Japanese control 16 Oct 1905 * The Russian army opens fire on a meeting in a street market in Tallin, Estonia, killing 94 and injuring over 200 (the Russian Revolution of 1905). 30 Oct 1905 * Tsar Nicholas II is forced to grant Russia's first constitution. 18 Nov 1905 * Prince Carl of Denmark is crowned King Haakon VII of Norway. 12 Jan 1905 * The Persian Constitutional Revolution: A nationalistic coalition of merchants, religious leaders and intellectuals in Persia force the Shah to grant a constitution and establish a national assembly, the Majlis. 18 Apr 1906 * An earthquake on the San Andreas Fault, estimated at magnitude 7.8, destroys much of San Francisco, leaving at least 3000 dead. Between 225 and 300 thousand were left homeless, and the damages were estimated at over $350 million. 16 Aug 1906 * A magnitude 8.2 earthquake in Valparaiso, Chile, leaves approximately 20 thousand dead. 1 Oct 1906 * The Grand Duchy of Finland (Russian) becomes the first nation to include the right of women to stand as candidates for office when it adopts universal suffrage. 5 Mar 1907 * At the opening of the new Russian Duma in St. Petersburg, 40 thousand demonstrators are dispersed by the Russian troops 31 Aug 1907 * The St. Petersburg Convention is signed, which results in the establishment of the "Triple Entente", an alliance between Russia, Britain, and France. 8 Dec 1907 * GUstav V succeeds his father Oscar II as King of Sweden 1 Feb 1908 * King Carlos I of Portugal and his son Prince Luis Filipe are assassinated in Lisbon 26 May 1908 * At Masjid-al-Salaman, in southwest Persia, the first major commercial oil discovery in the Middle East is made. The rights to this resource are quickly acquired by the British Empire. 30 Jun 1908 * A mysterious explosion occurs near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia. Referred to today as the Tunguska Event, the cause of this disaster remains unknown even after a century. 8 Aug 1908 * Wilbur Wright flies in France, demonstrating for the first time, true controlled powered flight. 27 Sep 1908 * Henry Ford produces his first "Model T" automobile. 5 Oct 1908 * Bulgaria declares its independence from the Ottoman Empire. Ferdinand I becomes Tsar of Bulgaria. 2 Dec 1908 * Emperor Pu Yi ascends to the Chinese throne at the age of two years. His regents are Zaifeng, Prince Chun and the Empress Dowager Longyu. 28 Dec 1908 * An earthquake and tsunami destroy the city of Messina, Sicily, and davestate much of the Calabrian coast of Italy. Over 70 thousand people are killed. 28 Jan 1909 * The last United States troops leave Cuba, after being there since the end of the Spanish-American war in 1898. 31 Mar 1909 * Serbia accepts Austrian control over the territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 27 Apr 1909 * Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire is overthrown and succeeded by his brother Mehmed V. 16 Jul 1909 * A revolution forces Mohammad Ali, Shah of Persia, to abdicate in favour of his son, Ahmad Qajar. He flees to Russia, seeking the assistance of Nicholas II in regaining his throne. 17 Dec 1909 * Albert I succeeds his uncle Leopold II on the Belgian throne.